1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to a system for covering an athletic course, such as a running course, an in-line skating course, a horse back riding course, or a cycling course.
2. Related Art
Athletically performing outdoors, whether for training or in competition, has several drawbacks. The weather makes outdoor athletic performance difficult. Precipitation, humidity, temperature, and wind all affect the athlete's performance, as well as, the surface on which the athlete is performing. Another shortcoming of the weather is its unpredictability. Thus, the vagaries and uncontrollability of the weather add an unknown variable to the mix, making it difficult both for the athlete to effectively train and to monitor an athlete's program. Whether it is running, cycling, or in-line skating, outdoor athletics on roadways also has the drawback of the danger of vehicular traffic as well as the poor quality of the roadway surface (i.e., potholes, cracks, debris, etc.). Similarly, while indoor courses for these various athletic endeavors overcome many of the aforementioned shortcomings, there are other deficiencies associated with indoor athletic courses. A chief deficiency of indoor athletic courses (e.g., indoor running ovals, velodromes, etc.) is that they are short and highly repetitive and, thus, boring to train and perform upon. A need exists for improvements in athletic courses, and to overcome various deficiencies, including those mentioned above.